Donkey Skin and the Fairy Tales on Display at the Postal Museum

The Postal Museum in Paris announces an exhibition on fairy tales from November 18, 2026 to April 19, 2027. On the program: postal history, a family-friendly trail, and a gown inspired by Donkey Skin.

A Donkey Skin dress amid the postal collections: one of the crossovers announced for Once Upon a Time… the Post and Fairy Tales. Presented at the Postal Museum, in Paris's 15th arrondissement, from 18 November 2026 to 19 April 2027, this exhibition marks the institution’s 80th anniversary with an itinerary designed to appeal to families as well.

The project weaves together fairy-tale narratives with the history of how messages are transmitted. The museum highlights the presence of Puss in Boots, The Blue Bird, Donkey Skin, and Tom Thumb. These familiar characters provide welcoming entry points to explore a heritage we more instinctively link to letters, stamps, and the postal trades.

According to the briefing from the museum’s press officer, the route will unfold in eight stages. An ogre’s mouth entrance and a life-sized forest are among the features announced. The exhibition is slated to bring together more than 500 works, including over 200 loans from institutions such as the Louvre, the Mucem, the Cinémathèque Française, and the Mobilier National, alongside pieces crafted by artisans.

Among the pieces announced is a dress from Peau d’Âne, presented by the press attaché as worn by Catherine Deneuve. This loan creates a link with the cinematic imagination of the fairy tale. The detailed list of costumes on display remains to be specified: the available announcement does not yet allow us to identify the different dresses that will be shown.

Around the exhibition, the museum is offering storytelling tours and workshops on Saturdays and during school holidays. Ogrinette and the Lost Cat, a one-hour storytelling visit, is suitable for children from age 3; the workshop Enchanted Mobile, lasting 1 hour 30 minutes, is available for children aged 6 and up. These activities are available from €8. A 1 hour 30 minute guided tour is also included in the admission fee.

Three free highlight moments accompany the route: a family weekend on December 5–6, 2026, with Santa Claus visiting on Sunday, the Night of Reading on January 23, 2027, and then a second family weekend on March 20–21, 2027.

The Postal Museum sits at 34 Boulevard de Vaugirard, just a stone’s throw from Montparnasse. The exhibition runs from 11:00 to 18:00, Wednesday through Monday, closed on Tuesdays. Admission starts at €9, with free entry for under-26s and everyone on the first Sunday of each month.

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